Transplantacje organów w wybranych dokumentach Kościołów jako ostatni akt miłosierdzia dawcy a kwestia wyrażania zgody na pobranie narządów
Organ transplantations in chosen documents of the Churches as the last deed of mercy by the donor versus the issue of donor’s consent for transplantation

Author(s): Krzysztof Śledziński
Subject(s): Theology and Religion
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego
Keywords: transplants; mercy; transplantation organs; bioethics;organ donation;
Summary/Abstract: The article “Organs’ transplations in selected documents of different Churches, as a last act of charity of the donor and the issue of consent for organs donation” raises the question of the perception of organ donation as an act of mercy, or the last act of charity shown by donor to organs’ recipient. Churches almost unanimously see organs’ donation as the last act of charity of the donor to the recipient. The most emotions on the issue of organ donation, as well as the perception of organ donation as an act of mercy, makes a way of expressing consent for organ removal. The Roman Catholic Church and the Churches of the Orthodox tradition very strongly emphasize that consent to remove organ from a donor should be of a formal consent given by the same donor. Some churches allow for the possibility of organs removal when permission is given by the next of kin of the donor. The vast majority of the Churches oppose the so‑ called. the principle of presumed consent, the admissibility of which we see in the bioethics documents of some Protestant churches. Very firmly and resolutely the need for formal consent for the procurement of organs emphasized Pope John Paul II. Formal way of expressing consent of organ donation highlights the fact that showing compassion is not passive behavior, but requires human’s activity, who shows mercy.

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